“After playing on that team, it’s been impossible for football to surprise me. I played with Iniesta, Xavi, Messi, Neymar, and Puyol, who was a tremendous defender and captain of Spain,” he added.
“I played with all of them! Finding players like that today is very difficult for me,” he concluded.
Sanchez was then asked about Lamine Yamal and comparisons with Lionel Messi, which is the trending topic in Spain at the moment.
“Compare him to Messi? That’s a tall order. Lamine plays very well, but we shouldn’t overwhelm him with words.”
“Let him have fun, relax, and reach his best level, because he’s still very young,” he added.
Finally, the player was asked what he remembered the most from his time at Barcelona, to which he named La Masia without any hesitation.
“It left a mark on me. I got my coaching license, but I still want to do it as a player: teach young people what respect is, the timing of football.”
“And what football, the football of La Masia! That way of finding space, keeping possession of the ball. That’s what I like,” he added.